Genesis 2:3

And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.

God didn’t need a rest, but He wanted to set an example for mankind. Not only did it set a precedent showing us that we needed to include rest in our weekly schedules, but it also set a day aside specifically for worship and prayer. Throughout human history it has been very difficult to carve out a day of rest. Yet rest and prayer are essential parts of our lives, especially for those in full time ministry. After all, such workers are especially busy on the day of the week when most others are resting.

Pray for workers that will joyfully and willingly set aside time for the Lord.

Missionary Biography, Continued

by AL from Thomas Valpy French, First Bishop of Lahore, by Vivienne Stacy.

Thomas French married his fiancé in 1853. Their family multiplied rapidly, but after the birth of their fourth child, Mrs. French became dangerously ill and had to be sent with the children back to England.

Living by himself and determined to get closer to those he was trying to win to Christ, Thomas decided to cut himself off from European society and live among the poor. Finally, however, his health broke, and he collapsed unconscious in the jungle. In 1863, he was ordered back to England, where he stayed for the next six years. Then, once again he left his family to return to South Asia. For health reasons itinerant evangelism was now out of the question, so he set up St. John’s Divinity school to train leaders for the growing national church.

In late 1877, French went back in London to be consecrated Bishop of Lahore. Bishop French’s episcopate began when he was 53 years old and lasted 10 years. Worn out from trying to meet all the requirements of this office, he resigned in 1888. He returned to England for three years. However, he found it difficult to rest, and in 1890, now 66, he went to India again for another term in the Muslim world. Once again he fell ill. He died alone in Oman in 1891.